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Women, Sports and Media: Coverage, Careers, Consequences

Please consider submitting research for a conference on Women, Sports and Media: Careers, Coverage, and Consequences to be held on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park April 20-21, 2018.

We are looking for research on three key themes: women sports journalists; audiences for women’s sports; and coverage of women athletes. We are particularly interested in research that addresses intersections with race/ethnicity and sexuality, and that identifies possible implications or impacts as well as potential solutions to problems. Among other topics, the following are relevant research areas:

The treatment of women in sports media. What challenges do women face in getting various kinds of specific jobs? What (or who) accounts for these problems? Does the lack of women leadership or workplace hostility impact women’s careers in sports media? How can university journalism programs help women become more competitive for job opportunities? What is the role of physical appearance for sports journalists (and women athletes)?

Audience support for women’s sports and women sports journalists. Do women have distinctive interests, and if so, are they being addressed? Should more or different content be created for girls and women? Does the coverage of and for women affect women’s athletics at the high school, college, and professional levels, as well as internationally and at the Olympics? Are boys and men showing greater interest in women’s sports?

The impact of pushback. Do hosts or callers at radio talk shows trade in code words, sexist language and/or anti-women topics? Do the visual optics of sports programming manifest sexism? Can or should athletes or sports journalists comment on sexism or gender politics?

Authors can submit extended abstracts (2-3 pages) or full papers. For purposes of refereeing, please anonymize the abstract or paper and also submit a separate title page with all authors’ contact information, and indicating the corresponding author. Research papers may be included in a potential book. Please contact Dr. Linda Steiner, professor in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism with questions, at lsteiner@umd.edu, or 301-405-2426.